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Hear Ye!!! Hear Ye!!!

Tea Party for our Colonial Quills 4th Anniversary is Friday March 6th!!!***Cynthia Howerter WON in Historical Fiction at the Florida Christian Writers Conference!!!***Roseanna White's Circle of Spies is a finalist in RT Book Reviews INSPIRATIONAL MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER Readers' Choice for 2014 http://www.rtbookreviews.com/award/2014/inspirational-mysterysuspensethriller

Friday, January 25, 2013

Tea Party for Jennifer Hudson Taylor and Elaine Marie Cooper

Welcome, all, to Colonial
Quills’ virtual Tea Party, being held today at the historic Mendenhall Plantation in Jamestown,
North Carolina. Elaine Marie Cooper hostessing here, along with Kathleen Maher.
The very special event we are celebrating today is the release of Jennifer
Hudson Taylor’s newest historic romance, Path of Freedom, which is set in
this very locale in the year 1858.

Jennifer’s exciting new
missive journeys with the brave men and women of the pre-Civil War era who, at
the risk of their own lives, attempted to help the African American slaves
escape to the north through the Underground Railroad. Her novel involves a
young Quaker man and woman who decide to put their personal differences aside
to save the life of a pregnant slave couple. With only a quilt as their secret
guide, the foursome follows the stitches through unknown treachery. It is a
novel of love, faith, and forgiveness.

Here at the Mendenhall Plantation in North
Carolina, there is no official documentation of it being a station for the
Underground Railroad. But according to Shirley Haworth, President of Historic
Jamestown (NC) Society, “we knew that the activity was all around our area.” Ms.
Haworth explains that the likely reason there were no official records was the
danger: Smuggling slaves was illegal and you were either fined, imprisoned or
both.

Jennifer Hudson Taylor is
pictured here at the plantation doing her research for this wonderful novel
published by Abingdon Press. She is photographed in front of one of the
specially designed wagons that were fitted to hide slaves in a special
compartment. This wagon is just one of the many museum artifacts at the
beautiful Mendenhall Plantation. (All photos used by permission of Historic
Jamestown Society)

Jennifer, Kathleen and I
would be honored to have you as our guest today. On the menu is the food fare
of the Underground Railroad travelers who needed to eat late in the day or
early in the morning, resting all day while they journeyed by night. The food
is hearty and simple: Homemade biscuits, ham, bacon and eggs. And don’t forget
a generous dollop of strawberry jam on those mouth-watering biscuits. Fresh
coffee, anyone? Or how about some hot tea with a bit of sugar to sweeten?

Speaking of tea, we have
another release to celebrate at out Colonial Quills Tea Party today: A romance
anthology entitled I Choose You, published by OakTara publishers, featuring 38
short romance stories, both contemporary and historical. My particular chapter
is entitled, “The Tea Set.” It is set in New York City in World War I,
involving a young widow, a soldier, and a lonely four-year-old. Somehow the tea
set brings it all together. I hope you enjoy.

Be sure to leave comments on
our post today with your e-mail address. You will be entered in a drawing to
win either a copy of Path of Freedom or I
Choose You.

139 comments:

Hello Lades. I think I might be a bit early for the Tea Party. I am so glad to be invited to your party. I think I would love to have a cup of your tea with lots of sugar while we wait for others to arrive. Maybe I could just rest here with one of your nice books while we wait for the others to arrive. What time do you think they might start arriving? Oh my, forgive me I seem to just ramble on and on!

Well hello Ms. Maxie, I am Chaplain Debbie. So good to see that I am not the first to arrive. I do believe that I will have some of that fresh coffee and a biscuit with jam. No, no, don't get up, I can get it for myself. My oh my, but this is a lovely establishment. I do believe I will look around a bit. Do have a nice visit with whomever arrives next. I shall be around....somewhere. I have a tendency to come and go at these tea parties. Nice seeing you, dear, I'm off!

Well, at least this time I'm not the last to arrive. Somehow my invitation seems to get lost in the piles of post I get and my arrival at these tea parties is delayed.

Ms. Maxie, it's delightful to see you here. I'm Judith, not a hostess, but a frequent visitor. These ladies are so generous with their time and knowledge. I do hope you'll stop by often so that we may get better acquainted.

I'm fascinated by this lovely plantation and intrigued by the history of the underground railroad. Having Quaker ancestors, I believe some of my family might have been a part of this noble endeavor.

Dear Judith, so lovely to have you here and, as you can see, you are one of our first visitors! Welcome! And how interesting that your ancestors were Quakers. I imagine you would love to visit this plantation in North Carolina. I know that I would! Thanks for coming and do enjoy the tea and biscuits!

Good morn, ladies. The tea is steeped and the biscuits are warm. And there are stories to tell! So good of you to come, Mistress Judith and Maxie and Chaplain Debbie. A hale and hearty congratulations to Missus Jennifer and Elaine for your grand accomplishments! I should love to read both of these.

Good morning, Jennifer and thank you for being here! Your book sounds intriguing; I hope to read it one day. While you are in possession of that jam, could I possible bother you to allow me to take some more for my biscuit? Blessings.

What a wonderful tea party! As always, the refreshments are so enticing! So happy for Jennifer and Elaine. I love the photo of Jen in front of the wagon. This is an important story and a great read. I love it that her Quaker ancestry shines through.

It is an amazing picture, isn't it? I can just smell the old wood and hay, and imagine the perilous journeys made in that conveyance. So brave of the people in those days to rescue the captives and risk their lives and reputations. So very like Patriots, risking all for freedom!

I can only imagine how cramped they must have been, all huddled up in that wagon. And it must have been so hard to keep the children and babies quiet....did they transport children and babies? I've only recently really gotten into history. I used to think it was boring, but thanks to some wonderful historical fiction authors, I am coming to love history!

Good morning, ladies! I love early morning parties, and the smell of coffee is heavenly. I also love Jennifer's plot in this story about the Underground Railroad. Such bravery of the slaves as well as the smugglers who transported them. They were all putting themselves at great personal risk. I hope to get my hands on this novel soon.

Yes, Elaine, Congrats on your anthology, it sounds great! You have me intrigued by saying that the tea set brings everything together. Thank you for being here today and giving us a chance to get to know you.

What a frightening experience it must have been to be an escaped slave or those aiding them to travel on the Underground Railroad – a true legacy of courage. I can only imagine the stories you must have come across, Jennifer, as you did your research for your book.

Your anthology sounds charming, Elaine. So many different romantic stories all in one volume will be such fun.

Hello to Jennifer & Elaine! Both books sound interesting. Jen, my father's house may have been part of the Underground Railroad also. At the northern end of the line :-) It's a big old Colonial farmhouse in central MA. When he gutted it to fix it up (unfortunately, he did not restore it - the interior is all modern) we discovered a room in the basement that while not exactly hidden it wasn't easily recognized. There were other hints that led us to believe escaping slaves may have stayed stopped over there.

It must have been terrifying to be in the heart of slave country participating in helping these slaves. Bravo to the brave men and women who risked their lives to help fellow humans!

Welcome Mistress Tammy! May I bring you a plate of breakfast? We have a lovely ham and eggs with tea. How fascinating about your father's house. WE had active routes on the underground railroad through Elmira, and many houses still show the secret places where they hid the freedom seekers. I agree--it involved an extra measure of risk for those in slave territories.

Good morning, Tammy! So lovely to have you here and what a fascinating history about your father's home! Yes, there was little put in writing about the homes of participants in the Underground Railroad. No one wanted a paper trail that could lead them into trouble. I love the quilts that were secret maps—such a clever idea and a practical one. Enjoy a cup of coffee, my friend! :)

Hi Tammy, So glad you could make it! If only the walls of those old historic homes to talk and tell us the true stories of what happened there.

Speaking of the heart of slave country, here in NC, we were considered that part of the country. Near the end of my story, Flora is surprised at how different the Quaker community in PA was compared to the Quaker community in NC. They were openly eating and working together, and befriending former slaves. Even though Quakers may not have believed in slavery, in NC they could not do that without risks. One of my characters points out that this is how it should be everywhere.

Good MOrning! WOuld love Coffee first...tea later! ummmm ummmm and ham n biscuits sound yummy! Snuggled up under a quilt? sounds devine! Can't wait for the chatter to begin! Ohhhh...the story those walls could tell in the homes of the underground rail! mandn@wisper-wireless.com

Coffee it is, m'lady. And our delicious Virginia ham with warm biscuits. Thank you for joining our celebration today. Yes, I wish I could put a stethoscope to the walls to hear all of its whispered secrets. What a bounty of writing material that would be!Stay warm on this chilly January day. Blessings!

Good morning, ladies, and congratulations to Jennifer and Elaine for your new releases--which both sound like quite engrossing reading for this cold, snowy time of year! And the covers are lovely indeed. I'll have a helping of those delectable biscuits, ham, bacon, and eggs, Elaine, along with a dollop of the strawberry jam. Please do pour me a cup of coffee too. What a delightful company we have today, but then our tea parties are always such fun!

Greetings, Mistress Joan! How lovely of you to brave the winter weather and celebrate with us! I pray your warm coffee will restore you from your journey, and the vittles, too. Your company always brings the light to the table.

Indeed, the coffee has worked its wonders in this cold weather, Kathleen, and so has this lovely celebration. Jennifer, having lived in the south for a number of years and endured the ice and sleet, I must say I do prefer the snow. At least when it piles up high enough, we can simply choose to admire it from our window. lol!

Good morning, all. Cannot wait to read Path of Freedom and The Tea Set. They both sound intriguing, and I already know what wonderful writers Jennifer and Elaine are. I read somewhere that women who particpated in the Underground Railroad would hang different quilts on their clotheslines to signal danger or safety. Is that in your book, Jennifer? What brave people to act on their convictions despite the consequences. Elaine, I love that your story is based on your family. It adds another dimension. Could I have a cup of tea? A biscuit and strawberry jam would be lovely. The weather is turning cold and dreary, and a cup of tea and this cordial company will brighten my day.

of course! your tea madame Susan. Pull up a chair by the cozy hearth and let the winter drearies pass. :D You are right--there were many ways that conductors could signal that they were a safe house, and yes, quilts were one way, along with candles in the window. Thank you for joining the party this blustery afternoon. Lord bless!

Greetings Mistress Susan! I have heard the same stories, and believe it may be true, but there is no historical evidence to prove it. Of course, how could there be if they were afraid of getting caught? In my book the quilt was actually a stitched map called the Midnight Star quilt. It was made by someone in Flora's family from a previous Underground Railroad experience.

I'm always thrilled to sit down with you ladies over a cup of tea! Good morning, Elaine, Kathleen and Jennifer. Congratulations and blessings on the new releases, Elaine and Jen! I now have more books to be added to my reading pile. Both stories sound wonderful, and I wish you both much well-deserved success!

Good morning ladies. The menu sounds great, as I haven't had breakfast yet and I'm still a southern girl at heart, even though I went west with my husband in a modern day wagon twenty years ago. I'll never forget those country ham biscuits. Congratulations to Jennifer and Elaine!

Brittany, I'm so glad you enjoyed Highland Blessings. If you get a chance, you might want to read the sequel, Highland Sanctuary. I modeled the heroine after my daughter. She has a seizure disorder in 15th century Scotland when they didn't even know the word seizure. Of course, I had to go further and create a whole Village of Outcasts in Caithness, Scotland under the protection of Laird of Braigh Castle.

Well, it looks like this tea party is in full swing! You ladies have outdone yourselves once again! Thank you so much for putting this together to introduce two great authors and their books. It is always so inviting with you ladies. I am sorry that my hubby Jack could not attend, but he is working hard to support us. If I may, I would love to take some of these goodies home with me, to give to Jack. He will be needing something to go along with his coffee later tonight.....Oh My! Would you look at that sky! So gorgeous and mesmerizing....I think I shall go look out the window for a bit and send up a prayer of thanks to our Lord for such a beautiful day and for such wonderful company. Do excuse me, ladies........

Chaplain Debbie, it is always such a pleasure having you as a guest at our tea parties! I wish you could stay longer but I sincerely hope that Jack is blessed by the delicious biscuits and jam! Enjoy. :)

Hi Ladies! Hope ya'll are enjoying the tea party. At the moment, I am snowed in. Fine by me though.Looking forward to both of these ladies releases. Jennifer, I have both of the Highland books on my Kindle waiting to be read. Hoping to get to that soon. Have a great weekend!Amy Ccampbellamyd at gmail dot com

Chaplain Debbie, I would be brave enough to find out about my Ancestors, even if there was bad things in there with the the good. But, it takes big money to do research, so I will never know any further back than great-grandparents on Daddy's side and less for my mother. I need to check out this beautiful plantation before I leave. And, the tea set is lovely. I think I just must have some of that Virginia Ham. I do love ham. Thanks Elaine and Kathleen for hosting this Tea Party. It has been great fun but I think I'd best get hold of my ride home. It is a good days ride. Have really enjoyed visiting with all of you ladies.

And we have so enjoyed your visit! And I must agree with you about Virginia ham—it is too good to resist. So happy you are enjoying tea from my family's tea set! Stay warm on your journey home. And do come again. :)

It would be lovely to join you ladies for tea! Maybe some English shortbread would be a nice addition. ;) Jennifer Hudson Taylor’s newest historic romance, Path of Freedom from the Quilts of Love series is next on my list of reading. I'm looking forward to it! I'm a quilter myself, and have done a lot of reading and research regarding the underground railroad, so this book will be twice as nice for me to read and review. Thank you for allowing me to come in, and join in your conversation!Nanceequiltcat26[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

Good evening, Nancee! Waving my pearl fan from beside the tea tray. So pleased you came and celebrated with our resident scribes. Such a talented bunch! Its good to have you here. Good luck on the giveaway!

Good afternoon, Ms Nancee, welcome to the party. Do partake of the wonderful food these ladies have prepared. Everything is so delicious! They have some nice tea and freshly brewed coffee as well. Isn't it a lovely day? I keep going to the window, just to enjoy God's beauty. Please enjoy your visit.

I totally agree with you, Ann, the ladies always make me feel so welcome. As I walk around and listen to the conversations, I can't help but jump in now and then. I do hope I am not stepping on any toes when I join in.....I mean that figuratively...and I guess literally. My feet aren't very dainty. :)

I love getting to know all the guests at the parties and to learn about new books that are coming out. These books sound great! So happy you are home safely, Carrie, I've enjoyed seeing the pictures you posted.

So sorry to be late to the party! My carriage threw a wheel, my driver ran off with my ladies' maid and my escort stopped at a gambling hall. I was left to fend for myself, can you imagine? Thankfully, I'm used to such hardships and have at last managed to arrive. I'm simply famished and would love some eggs and biscuits! And coffee! What a lovely party!Jennifer, your book looks so very interesting! I cannot wait to read it. I can't imagine how difficult it was to research something that everyone at the time desperately tried to hide! Anyway, it's so good to be here. Looks like the party is in full swing!

Hello there, MaryLu! (leans in and whispers: 'I'd call ye Cap'n, but I didn't know if ye were in disguise today')...straightens and acts normal: Sounds like you had quite the adventure getting here. How ever will you get back? If you need a ride, I would be more than happy to take you. In the meantime, please go feed yourself, before you waste away.

Leans in to the Chaplain (Nay, I'm in disguise today. I fear the authorities be lookin' fer Captain Tyndall on some technicality about anchorin' me ship in the wrong spot!) Anyway, I would love a ride home! Thank you so much! And what a pleasure to see you here!

I have been out at the barn looking at the false-bottomed wagon. How interesting with the thin layer of hay. Enough to feed the horses. I have just returned from the library at the community house. I was moving books all day. When I got to the quilting books, I had to stop and look at them awhile. I am certainly glad everyone is still stopping by for tea. Excuse me while I chat with the other guests! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

Welcome Mistress Kathleen, I have spent quite a bit of time out in the barn studying that wagon. When you have a chance to look at the secret compartment closely, it makes one wonder how in the world someone could have stood being in that space for such a long distance, especially several people crammed in there.

I'm very late to the party. Love the photo of Jennifer at the plantation and I'm looking forward to this new Abington book. Isn't it a great collection - so many authors and genre's and styles. I definitely want to grab this one.

Cindi, So glad you could join us. After I began researching the Underground Railroad, I became even more fascinated. So many lost their lives trying to escape, but just as many survived. I've seen various estimates from 30,000 to 100,000 slaves who escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Historians often debate the estimated numbers, but there is no doubt that it was a significant number considering the odds and circumstances they faced.

Well, this has been quite lovely. But I do believe that I need to be going. I am sure MaryLu would love to be getting home as well. Good night ladies and thank you for a wonderful tea party. I will just grab my treats for Jack and be on my way. God bless.

Hello ladies, I thought I would drop in to see if anyone is still lingering at the party. I never know when these parties end, so I pop in now and then to check. I pray that everyone has been enjoying themselves. Jack enjoyed the goodies I brought home for him. He sends his thank you. Speaking of which, I could use a cup of that delicious coffee....the air is quite crisp outside. I think the marrow INSIDE my bones are chattering. Brrrr.......now for that coffee. Please do excuse me.....

CQ Schedule

First Fridays of the month are often: Tea Party for authors with new releases, or for special events. Guests are invited to come "in character" and dressed for the occasion (you can tell us who you are and what you are wearing!) Sometimes we must deviate from this schedule. If so, it is announced at the top of the blog--where winners are also posted.